The Life and Times of Lena Stark
by liz2413
Summary: A collection of one-shots, in no particular order, that detail on the crazy life that comes with being the younger sister of eccentric billionaire Tony Stark. Set before my story "Renew", and gives more insight into Lena's relationships with the team. (This fic is expanded upon from a one-shot I had previously written, titled "A New Year")
1. A New Year

**Just a quick little one shot that I thought up about Lena's New Year's Eve. It is somewhat inspired by my own NYE plans, which include lounging around the house and not doing too much :) **

**This also gives a little background on her relationship with Steve before _Renew_ began. I hope you guys enjoy it! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any Avengers or movies or websites (IMDb) that I discuss in this one shot. I only own my OC Lena!**

* * *

"Which romantic comedy will it be this year, Miss Stark?"

Letting a huge sigh escape my lips, I crumpled down into one of the twelve plush leather seats in the Stark Tower theater room. My old Columbia University sweatshirt was soft and warm, the perfect companion for a night of lounging. A few butter enriched popcorn kernels tumbled out of my bigger-than-I-should-be-eating bowl and onto the thick carpet that Tony religiously kept clean. _Oh well._ After setting my snack on the unoccupied seat to my left, I readjusted my glasses and stared up at the 102 inch wide screen.

"I see you've taken the liberty of selecting a few options, Jarvis." I remarked with a laugh as I examined the titles he had selected.

My eyes found some of the regulars. _He's Just Not That Into You_, which I had watched last year,_ Pretty Woman, Love Actually,_ and _(500) Days of Summer _were among the films that the AI had suggested. I had seen each and every one of them at least 3 times, but that never seemed to stop me from watching them again and again. I was about to select my favorite Julia Roberts movie when an unfamiliar title caught my eye.

Raising an eyebrow, I took a sip of my Diet Coke and addressed Jarvis once again. "They actually made a movie called _New Year's Eve_?"

My response came immediately. "Yes ma'am. Although, you should be aware that it received a 5.4 out of 10 stars according to the Internet Movie Database."

"That's never stopped me before," I muttered. "And besides, who can resist watching a movie all about New Year's Eve on New Year's Eve? Go ahead and play that one, Jarvis."

"Right away Miss Stark."

The lights dimmed, creating an authentic theater experience, and I relaxed back into my recliner. My hands found the popcorn seconds later, shoving the delicious kernels into my mouth. Having my own movie time meant choosing whichever popcorn that I wanted, which is actually way more important than it sounds. Tony had always been one of those people who put weird, exotic, and sometimes downright _disgusting_ seasonings atop the standard movie snack. He usually ended up overruling me, despite the fact that I always preferred a simple butter topping. I relished in the fact that I would be able to spend this night all alone with my own personal stash of seasoning free popcorn.

As the opening credits began to roll and the characters were being introduced, my mind drifted off to my own past New Year's Eve experiences. It wasn't that I absolutely hated the year end holiday or anything. I had just never been a huge fan of going out and getting crazy at a party that a random philanthropist - or even someone that I knew- was throwing. That was probably the main, striking difference between Tony and I. The elder Stark was known for partying until the sun came up, while I preferred to leave early or, sometimes, not even attend at all.

It had become a sort of tradition of mine to curl up in either a living room or theater and watch a-usually poorly made- romantic comedy. Tony always criticized me for my lack of festivity, but I didn't care. Around 7 we would part ways, with him heading off to a New Year's Eve celebration and me settling down onto the couch in my comfiest clothing. Due to the fact that he loved to enjoy his fair share of alcohol, I always had a driver ready to pick him up from wherever he had gone off to. If he could avoid being blown up into a million pieces while being Iron Man, than he should be able to avoid a simple drunk driving accident.

This year, I had been somewhat worried about my usual ritual, due to the fact that the Avengers had taken up residence in the tower. Although I loved spending time with the group of heroes, I feared that Tony would decide to change it up a bit and throw his own huge New Year's Eve gathering. If that was the case, then I would most likely be forced to attend and socialize until the late hours of the night and, eventually, early hours of morning. Lucky for me, the group had decided to part ways and enjoy their own personal celebrations. Clint and Natasha had gone off to have dinner somewhere in Manhattan, while Bruce had contacted a few of his old friends that resided in Brooklyn. Steve hadn't been to talkative about his plans, if he even _had_ any, and the rest of us didn't really ask. Of course, Tony had left at exactly 7 pm along with Pepper to travel to his usual event. Their departures left me with an empty Stark Tower and no one around to bother me. And that was perfectly fine with me.

Taking another long drink of my Diet Coke, I sighed and tried to immerse myself in this year's movie.

* * *

"I should listen to you more often," I told Jarvis as I washed out the now empty bowl of popcorn in the sink. "That movie was pretty bad. And, might I add, _very_ predictable."

"Better luck next year, Miss Stark." Jarvis responded.

I laughed and continued to clean out the dirty dishes. While the film had been a suitable way to pass time, it had nearly bored me to death. I also found it incredibly similar to the movie _Valentine's Day_, what with the intertwining, albeit confusing storylines. The one thing I didn't complain about was looking at Josh Duhamel, who always managed to make me smile. Completely lost in my thoughts and the scrubbing of the plates, I didn't even realize that someone had emerged from the hallway and into the large kitchen area.

"Hey, Lena."

Looking up with a start, the plate I was cleaning slipped out of my hands and clattered in the sink. My slightly widened eyes met a pair of pretty, familiar blue ones.

"Steve?" I half gasped, my heart still pounding from his surprising entrance.

He gave me a small smile as he leaned against the granite countertop behind the sink. "Sorry I scared you. I got back about 20 minutes ago and didn't think anyone was home."

"It's okay," I said with a shrug as I picked up the dish and began to dry it off. "I didn't think anyone was here either."

I glanced back up to examine his appearance. The usual brown leather jacket was paired with a plain blue button up that reminded me a lot of the color in his irises. His cheeks were still a tad pink, most likely from the cold weather that he had endured. I noticed that the smile he was sporting didn't really reach his eyes. That was odd.

Steve pulled up one of the barstools and took a seat, watching as I moved on to the next plate. "No exciting New Year's plans?"

I shook my head, still focused on the kitchen sink, and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Not exactly. I just stayed here and watched a pretty terrible movie. Big parties aren't really my thing."

"Are you sure you're related to Tony Stark?"

We both laughed at that one. I didn't exactly know why I was still willingly cleaning dishes, so I set my current one down and dried off my hands. Tossing the towel onto the counter, I walked around and took a seat on a stool that was next to Steve's.

"Where did you go off to tonight?" I wondered, propping up an elbow on the granite.

Steve briefly glanced down, his smile fading for the briefest of moments. It was obvious that something was off with him. Maybe he shared the same general dislike for this hectic holiday that I did.

"I just sort of... walked around." He started with a shrug. "I'm still getting used to all of this. The modern world, I mean. I grew up in New York, but nothing about this city is the same anymore. I guess I thought that walking through the streets on the night of its biggest tradition would be a good idea, but I ended up getting a little overwhelmed."

He trailed off with a small laugh, eyes flitting down towards his feet. As I stared at him, I tried to imagine what he was and had been going through. I couldn't imagine waking up one day and realizing that everyone I knew was either dead or too old to recognize me. The thought put a hollow feeling in my chest. I wanted nothing more than to reach out and give him a comforting hug.

"Hey," Steve said, ending my window of opportunity to reply to his statement and successfully breaking me from my deep thoughts. "It's already 11:58."

My gaze immediately went to the clock above the oven. Sure enough, the Captain was right. There were only 2 minutes to go before the New Year would be rung in, and the entire city would erupt into a joyous frenzy.

"Come on," I started, jumping up and grabbing a hold of his wrist. "The balcony gives us a perfect view of all the fireworks!"

We rushed to the opposite side of the room and out the glass door. Luckily, the balcony had been repaired since Loki and Thor had beat each other up on it. The cold air hit me very suddenly, making me wish that I could've grabbed a sweatshirt or a jacket. Despite my shivers, I tugged Steve to the very edge of the space, so that we would have a good view of the colorful pyrotechnics.

We stayed silent, still hand in hand, until the clock struck midnight. Although neither of us had a watch, we knew when the streets below were filled with excited yells, and the sky above became illuminated with blues, greens, reds, and purples. Somewhere out there, the ball had dropped and Ryan Seacrest had excitedly counted down to the moment of its descent. Up here from our place on Stark Tower, there were no screams or banging of pots and pans, but it was still perfect. Both of us seemed to be content with watching it all unfold around us.

I stole a glance towards Steve. There was a smile, a _real_ smile, on his face as he stared upwards at the wild fireworks. Quickly, without thinking much into it, I leaned upwards and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. He immediately looked down at me once I had pulled away, the grin still on his face.

"Happy New Year, Steve Rogers." I whispered, turning back towards the celebrating city.

I felt a light squeeze of my hand. "Happy New Year, Lena Stark."

We didn't say anything else for a while, both of us still admiring the bright lights and excited sounds. After awhile, the cold became too much, and we retreated back to the warmth of the living area. By then, Clint and Natasha had returned to the tower. Upon seeing Steve and I enter together, the Black Widow raised an eyebrow and smirked. I gave here a similar look, wondering about her night out with her fellow SHIELD Agent. After sharing a few more glances, we were able to communicate that we would discuss everything later.

Bruce returned somewhere around 12:30, not really being up for much partying past midnight. The most surprising occurrence of the night, however, was the fact that Tony and Pepper arrived a little after 1 am. Actually, more surprising than that, was how my older brother was able to stand on his own and form complex sentences. It appeared that he had had less to drink than usual. A _lot_ less.

Once everyone was back, we all shared hugs and wished each other well for the year to come. Pepper retrieved one of our nice bottles of champagne, which we all drank in small and elegant fluted glasses. The night ended with our unusual group sitting around the living room, talking, laughing, and sharing stories. For the first time since the Avengers had moved into Stark Tower, it felt like we all really belonged there. In a way, it was like our own little, extremely diverse and powerful family.

It was safe to say that this had been my favorite New Year's Eve of them all.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this! The next chapter of _Renew_ should be up tomorrow or maybe even later tonight, depending on how tired I am.**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

**xo, liz**


	2. Welcome to the Family

**Lena meets the Avengers for the first time. **

* * *

**Welcome to the Family**

I've never been easily intimidated.

I'd survived through playground bullies, stern teachers, and the occasional crabby old woman on the street. It just wasn't like me, Elena Rose Stark, to ever back down so easily. Tony liked to think that it came from him and his carefree demeanor. For all I know, it probably did. The point is, there were very few times that I'd been struck speechless or shrunk away from anyone who happened to be confronting me. So, when I realized that I would be coming face to face with Earth's mightiest heroes, fresh off their remarkable saving of New York City, I wanted to think that I would be the kind, approachable, clever girl that I usually was.

Yeah, I was wrong.

A small smile on my face, I stepped out of the private elevator that had taken me up to the penthouse floor of Stark Tower. Throughout the entire fiasco, I had been safely away in Washington D.C. along with Pepper. I was itching to be back home, and especially excited to throw my arms around my older brother. Even though I was still a little frustrated with him for recklessly risking his life, I figured I would save that discussion for later. Besides, he _did_ save all of New York City. Pepper had gone to the Stark office floors, which were located somewhere else in the tower. Although she was as giddy to see Tony as I was, she had to sort out some business before she could take any personal time. I had promised her that I would keep him in one piece at least until she arrived.

"Tony!" I called out, setting my black leather bag on one of the tables in the entryway. "Tony, I'm home!"

Instead of hearing his response as I turned the corner and entered the main living area, I was met with the sound of a jumble of voices, all mixed together in multiple conversations. Suddenly halting in my step, I examined the current situation in the living area. Seated upon the numerous couches and chairs that made up the wide open space were the Avengers themselves. It was somewhat strange to see them all looking and sitting so casually after I had seen the footage of them in action all over the national news channels. I was desperately hoping to make a good impression, considering the fact that Tony had informed me that the Avengers would be living with us in Stark Tower. I spotted the dark haired head of my brother, lounging on the couch that faced the window along side another slightly shorter individual. The other team members, who _were_ facing in my direction, hadn't seemed to notice my presence yet. Not very attentive for a team of superheroes, I guess.

Slowly, and somewhat awkwardly, I stepped forward until I was directly behind where Tony was seated. "You know," I started, causing him to jump a little and turn my way. "I expected a slightly warmer welcome, Anthony."

Tony didn't even bother taking the time to walk around the couch. With all the quickness of a fox, he had stood and jumped over the couch within seconds. I was enveloped in a strong hug from my older brother.

"Welcome home, kiddo." He greeted me, pulling apart and placing his hands on my shoulders.

A grin appeared on my face. I hadn't realized how much I had missed Tony while I was away in D.C. The fact that he had nearly died-_again_-only made me appreciate his presence even more.

"It's good to be home," I told him, glancing around the penthouse. There were still a few tarps and piles of broken glass, reminders that Stark Tower had suffered some damage during the Loki fiasco. "Even if home isn't all the way here..."

Tony shrugged, removing his hands and crossing his arms over his chest. "We're working on it. Aren't we JARVIS?"

"Yes sir," The AI replied immediately. "Wonderful to have you back, Miss Stark."

"Anyways," Tony began, gesturing to the space in front of us. "Here we are. Our new roommates, the mighty Avengers, in the flesh."

My cheeks slightly reddened. For a moment, I had nearly forgotten that they were in the room. Now, looking that way, I noticed that all of them were staring. At _me._

Giving them a small smile, I moved my hand in a little wave. "I'm Lena," I introduced myself, then paused. Quite honestly, I had no idea what to say. I would've been content with running off down the hall and into the safety of my bedroom. I figured that would do more harm than good, seeing that I didn't want them to view me as Tony's wacky little sister.

Taking initiative, the man who had been sitting beside Tony stood up and came to greet me with a handshake. "I'm Dr. Bruce Banner. It's really nice to meet you."

Thus began a flurry of introductions between the rag-tag team and I. Well, everyone except for Thor, who had gone back off to Asgard with his brother.

Bruce reminded me of a kinder, less eccentric version of Tony. They both lived and breathed science and always liked to make sure that they were right. Both of them also happened to have dark hair and chocolate colored eyes. To be honest, they looked more like siblings than I thought Tony and I did sometimes. He seemed a little meek and nervous at times, but that didn't bother me at all. We talked for a few minutes, discussing pretty much everything except his _other_ side. Looking at Bruce, it was hard to tell that he could ever become something that big and destructive. As long as the Hulk didn't come after me, I figured Dr. Banner and I would get along just fine.

Next up was Clint Barton. He was shorter than I imagined. The lack of height was made up for by the fact that his toned arms looked a _lot_ better in person than they had on TV. And even then, they had looked pretty good. He seemed like a nice guy, with his frequent smiles and easy going persona. I didn't delve into much conversation with him as I had with Bruce, but I decided that we would just have to get better with that over time.

The one who was most intimidating, in my opinion, walked up to me after Clint had departed to say something to Tony. I suddenly felt very inferior and self conscious when I set my gaze upon Natasha Romanoff. She was beautiful, with fiery red locks and smooth, porcelain looking skin. Even in a simple tee shirt and blue jeans, she managed to look like a foreign supermodel. To my surprise, she gave me a very warm smile and shook my hand. We talked for a little longer than expected, about the occasional arrogance of my brother and whether or not I had met Fury yet. Seeing as she would be the only girl-apart from Pepper-residing in the tower, I was glad that we seemed to get along well. The Black Widow didn't seem like a good person to have as an enemy.

Last, but _certainly_ not least, was Captain Steven Rogers. Unlike Clint, he was taller than expected. His physique was also much more impressive when I admired it with my own eyes. I found myself staring into his pretty blue eyes for a little longer than usual. Definitely much longer than I should have. Steve was formal and polite in his introduction, referring to me as "Ma'am". I giggled and told him to please call me Lena, to which he shyly agreed to. I told him about the things I used to hear about him from my father, before he died when I was young. Apparently they had been pretty good friends, and my dad had developed the serum that made him so strong and fantastic. I would've gladly spoken with Steve for the rest of the night if Tony hadn't interrupted us.

"Am I the only one who's starving right now?" Tony wondered, leaning up against the bar.

"I haven't eaten since before my plane ride here," I told them, placing a hand over my hungry stomach.

Clint spoke up from his place on the couch. "Have anything specific in mind, Stark?"

Figuring he was referring to my brother, I stayed silent. Tony, on the other hand, nodded. He cast an excited grin towards me.

"I was thinking shawarma."

I raised an eyebrow and glanced around the group. "That Middle Eastern food?" I asked. "I guess that sounds fine."

"Oh, Lena." Bruce said with a reserved smile. "It looks like you're gonna fit in here just fine."

I certainly hoped he was right.

* * *

_**Next time on The Life and Times of Lena Stark:**_

_**A bit of girl talk with Natasha Romanoff. Who knew the Black Widow was so good at giving advice?**_

**xo, liz**


	3. Sunday Evening Discoveries

_I know I had said something about a Nat/Lena girl talk scene, but I was more inspired with this idea. I'm also trying out my hand at 3rd person POV. Bear with me. _

**Lena discovers that one of the Avengers has a hidden talent.**

* * *

**Sunday Evening Discoveries**

It's a Sunday evening when she comes across him.

In all, the day has been very uneventful. The normal sarcasm from Tony, the few occasional disputes between team members that really should be starting to get along by now. Everything is well in Stark Tower with it's usual, albeit boring routine. Adding on to that is the generic "Sunday Blues". The end of one week, or the start of another. All depending on which day your calendar begins with.

But with Sunday evenings comes her _usual_ lurking around the building with her _usual _comfortable clothing and _usual _steaming mug of tea. When had that become a routine? She couldn't tell you.

Her ears begin to pick up the soft, melodic notes when she nears the barely touched room. It's supposed to be a study, though Tony never has use for such a thing. Sipping a quick bit of the tea, she furrows her brow and pauses mid-step. It's strange, practically foreign, for any music other than ACDC to be echoing through the halls.

Is it a CD?

No.

A piano?

Yes. She remembers that they have one of those, though it generally remains untouched. Someone _must_ be playing the piano. But who?

Curiosity having taken over like a quick spreading virus, she absentmindedly places her cup on a nearby table and continues padding silently down the long corridor. She rarely goes this way, and takes her time to glance over the photos littering the walls. Maybe she would've stayed longer, if the music wasn't so enticing.

She decides to pause when she nears the door. It's open simply a crack, just enough for the sound to slither out of the opening and envelop the halls. If someone has gone this far out of their way to play, then they must not want to be disturbed. Besides, she doesn't want to bother or surprise one of the Avengers. It's only been four months, and she still has yet to land on anyone's bad side. She hopes to keep it that way.

Feeling brave, she attempts to take a peak through the sliver of an opening. It's a feeble try, considering her eyes only fall upon a fraction of a bookshelf. No piano.

Still, she stands, contentedly listening to the slow tune. Their skill seems to be flawless, and she wonders who in the dysfunctional family could have _that_ much experience.

Time continues to pass.

She doesn't know how long she's been standing there when she decides to rest her legs and sit. The piano is soothing, in a way. Perhaps more comforting than the cup of tea she left behind.

When the music stops, she can't help but frown. The frown turns into an expression of raised eyebrows and wide, dark eyes when she hears the recognizable sound of footsteps approaching the door.

She doesn't know why she decides to hide in the dark, vacant room directly opposite the study. Maybe it's because she's embarrassed to have quietly listened for that long. Maybe she wants to keep the moment as a secret from whomever had been playing so beautifully. Maybe she just doesn't know.

She dares to peer around the corner of the doorframe when the figure enters the hallway.

Her gaze is met with a tall frame, fascinatingly messy blonde hair, and tired blue eyes. He's stretching out his lithe fingers, then clenching both hands together in a single fist.

Strangely enough, she isn't surprised. Still, she keeps her presence from him. As he sighs and walks down the hall, she can't help but stare. She even cracks a smile when he slows to glance over at an abandoned mug of chilled tea.

When she sees him the next morning, smiling and nodding at her from across the table filled with a hearty breakfast, she doesn't mention his hidden talent. Even later that day, when the two are sitting with their shoulders gently touching, admiring the city skyline and musing about life, she doesn't say anything about her hearing of the music.

Maybe she's embarrassed.

Maybe she fears his reaction.

But this time, she knows why.

Some things, she thinks, are better kept to herself. Maybe she'll mention it one day, one week. Right now, she is simply content with the new little piece of him that she's uncovered.

And right now, that's all she can ask for.

* * *

**A little different style for this one.**

**I hope you enjoyed it, regardless.**

**Please review, and check out Renew!**

**xo, liz**


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